The Walnut, Stowmarket

Nice cosy back street inn with more of a country pub feel. Nicely renovated

We met the two owners on our recent visit, plus their rescue dog who has his own seat in the front bar. They told us how they have completely turned this pub around from what it was a few years ago. The pub still has a table policy in progress which we didn't mind, as there was a menu on the table and the service was efficient. Six cask ales on this visit, so we went for a taster tray or paddle of three beers which was handy plus a few half pints. There was a good mix of beers to choose from, I especially liked the Three Blind Mice Simple Stout. The was plenty of room in the front lounge, plus an even bigger back lounge which was a surprise. The pub also does bar snacks and on this visit there was a Wagyu Burger van out in the front.

I thought I'd visited all of the decent pubs that Stowmarket has to offer when I was last here in June, 2019. However, this backstreet local now titled simply The Walnut has an excellent and wide range of real ales, real ciders and craft beers. Arriving at the bar, I could only see one or two pumpclips. But the barman quickly informed us that all of the beers were listed on a board in one corner, with ciders listed on another board further along the wall. He also informed us that it was table service only, presumably a vestige of plague times and one that they decided works well. Either way, I hadn't decided which of the ciders I was going to choose by the time he arrived at our table. It is very unusual for me to find 4 ciders I hadn't previously tried these days. Such was my dilemma here. The 6 real ales here were Holt's Bitter, Lacon's Encore, Ampersand Pebble, Nene Valley Blue Monday, Cabin Jubilee Premium & Mighty Oak Vigilante. 7 real ciders were SeaCider Lemon Meringue, Meon Valley Swallowtail, Snail's Bank Blood Orange, Broadoak Perry, Tricky UFO#5, Abrahall's AD & Big Nose and Beardy Standen Deliver. Craft beers were Black Iris Endless Summer, Ampersand Windrow, Anspach & Hobday Bock, Burnt Mill Amplitude, Lagunitas Daytime IPA, Duration The Land I'm Bound To & RedWillow Damson Saison. There weren't many other people in, which is presumably the norm considering there was only one member of staff who has to offer table service. So, I was surprised to see that they can stock such an extensive range of beers and ciders. Nevertheless, the ciders were at least well-kept. Seating areas can be found to the front and to the left-hand side of the bar itself, with a further spacious room found behind the bar. There is also a garden to the rear. A group of locals near the door of the bar had a dog with them, which was the one negative point here. There was an overwhelming and nasty smell pervading the air when we entered. Whether it was the dog or something else, the smell was very offputting. The bad small apart, this has to be vying with the Royal William and the Kings Arms for the title of best pub in Stowmarket. Either way, I'm minded to come back here one day on the train to have more of a session in the town's hostelries. This was our favourite new pub of the day in Suffolk.